Author's note: I haven't forgotten about what the Weasley's would have been going through at this time. It's not just all fun and snogging. The next few chapters are going to explore their grief and anger, and some feeble attempts at normalcy. Also, Hermione and Ginny face the fact that they are women now and thus are in more mature relationships.
Amazingly, Hermione made it down all of the twists and turns of the burrow's long staircase without running into anyone, stopping by Ginny's room to throw on a robe so as not to be so exposed in front of the other men in the house. She came around the corner and stood in front of the kitchen door, took a deep breath, and walked inside.
The scene before her gave her a little stab of pain in her heart. It was the kitchen at the burrow, with the seeming air of cheerfulness that it always had possessed, but something was off. It was almost as if this kitchen was a horrible and dismal place trying to be the burrow's kitchen in disguise, and it's facade was slowing slipping through the cracks. The dishes cheerfully washed themselves at the sink, but not the same way that they always had, which told her that Mrs. Weasley hadn't been the one to perform the cleaning spell as she had every day for the past few decades. Plates whizzed across the room and set themselves at the table, but suddenly one of them turned and made it's way back to the cabinet, as though it had realized at the last second that there was one less person to set a place for. Ginny stood at the counter chopping fruit, with her back to the rest of the room, but before Hermione turned her head she saw a tear drop down onto the cutting board. Fleur bustled about the room, but even her presence was off. She was as beautiful as ever, and Hermione couldn't quite put on her finger on it, but it seemed like her usual glow she carried with her had diminished a bit, almost as if she was in too much distress for her veela powers to emit around her. She now looked to Hermione like a regular woman. A stunningly gorgeous one of course, but she had lost her magical veela aura. She looked tired and sad even though she shot Hermione a ravishing smile that under normal conditions might have knocked a wizard right off his feet.
"Good morning, 'Ermione. 'Ow are you?"
"I'm okay, Fleur. And you?"
Fleur's smile faltered for a second, but was quickly back before Hermione could see her in a lesser state of beauty. "I am okay as well. Zere is a bit more to do 'ere before William and ze other boys are down. I will finish the bacon and eggs, how about you prepare ze coffee?"
"Sure Fleur," Hermione said as she walked over to the counter and flicked her wand to begin to magically grind the coffee beans. Hermione considered herself to be a modern woman, and under normal circumstances might have been questioning why it was up to Ginny, Fleur, and herself to prepare breakfast every morning just because they were women. But looking at the situation logically, it did at the moment seem like the best solution. After all, Bill, Percy, and Mr. Weasley had to get up every morning and go to work even though they were still grieving, and Hermione thought they shouldn't have to cook themselves breakfast on top of that. And if Mrs. Weasley got wind that her husband and her boys were being forced to cook their meals, she no doubt would have been frantically flitting around the kitchen, all while sobbing into the pastries. Also, Harry and Ron were hopeless when it came to magical cooking, and would probably have burnt the house down if they attempted to make breakfast; Harry because he only knew how to cook the muggle way and Ron because well, Ron was just rubbish at cooking in general.
Just as Hermione was finishing up the coffee, the three men walked into the kitchen. She immediately picked up the coffee pot and walked around the table, filling their mugs. She then charmed the cream and sugar to make their rounds and offer a helping to each Weasley man. She stood in the kitchen looking out the window, trying to get lost in the view out there instead of the view in the room. She then turned back around to see the cream and sugar pestering Percy, who was staring off at nothing in front of him, gently bumping him on the head until he looked up and said, "Oh, no thank you, just black for me." The cream and sugar nodded and made their way back to the cabinet. The table was a very sorry sight, and Hermione almost felt a bit angry and envious that Ron and Harry didn't have to witness this every morning.
After what felt like an eternity of scraping plates and heavy sighs, Mr. Weasley stood up first, thanked the girls for breakfast, and was quickly out the fire place. Percy stood up after him and muttered something about his intentions to check on his father throughout the day, following him. Then, Bill was up, and Fleur was quickly at his side.
"Goodbye my love. Think 'appy thoughts and 'ave a wonderful day," Fleur whispered in a soothing voice as she placed a kissed on Bill's scarred face.
Bill sighed, but all the same leaned into the kiss. "Thanks, love. I'll be thinking of you," Bill said. And with that, he was gone, the same way his father and brother had gone a few moments before.
Then the kitchen was filled with a defining silence. After a minute or so, Hermione heard a sniff and looked over to see Fleur, sitting at the table with her head in her hands, tears streaming down her porcelain face. She and Ginny exchanged a glance, and then Hermione watched as Ginny got a determined look on her face and walked up to Fleur. She pulled the chair next to her out and took a seat, putting her arm around the older witch. At Ginny's touch, Fleur started to sob even harder, and now Hermione sat down at the table, determined to help Ginny with consoling the distressed woman in front of them.
"I am so sorry, Ginny! I should not be crying in your kitchen! I am just so upset..of course you know zat. But my William, 'e is distraught of course. He is my love and I cannot stand to see 'im like zis."
"Fleur, don't worry about it. When you married that love of yours you became a part of this family, so I reckon you can cry anywhere in our house you damn well please," Ginny said.
"Oh Ginny, zank you for zat. You are my sister, no? And you too 'Ermione," Fleur said with a kind look in Hermione's direction.
Hermione was about to object, to say that Ginny and Fleur were true sister-in-laws, but Ginny gave her a strong look that seemed to say don't you dare.
"Of course, Fleur. I thought I was lucky enough to find a sister in Ginny, but now that I have you too… you mean a lot to me. I hope you know that. I really do think of the three of us as sisters when we are all here at the burrow," Hermione said in a comforting tone as she stroked Fleur's hand.
"And I as well. To think, next time Gabrielle comes to visit, we will have a fourth, no?" Fleur said with a smile.
"Yup. Owl her right now and let's get the whole band together," Ginny said with a joking grin.
"Zank you girls. You see, I guess I was under ze emmpresion zat William was feeling a bit better. You see, well I guess I can talk to you girls about zis, after all you are not so much girls anymore as you are women… but I have been trying so 'ard to make William feel better. Last night, well, we finally made love for ze first time since before ze battle. It was beautiful, and William seemed like it 'ad made him feel so much better, but zen zis morning he was back to zis sadness... I know zat it might 'ave been ridiculous to assume zat would make et all better… I just thought zat since our connection was reestablished zat 'e would open up to me again…"
Hermione was a bit shocked that Fleur had begun to talk so freely about such an intimate part of her life, but then she figured that they were all like sisters and these conversations probably did come up between adult girlfriends. Hermione supposed that she and Ginny were women now, and these types of things were going to come up. They did both have boyfriends. Ginny, on the other hand, looked like she was thinking very carefully about what to say. Hermione decided that she would speak to fill the silence.
"Fleur, I know that must have been difficult. Well, I can't speak from experience, but I imagine having a very intimate connection with someone you love and then that having been their reaction the next morning would be upsetting. But try not to think of it that way. I know Bill loves you and you probably did make him feel better… it had nothing to do with you... he's just grieving." Hermione tried to say this in her most convincing tone.
"Of course you are right 'Ermione. I am just at a loss for what to do. I love 'im so much…"
At this point, Ginny decided to jump in. "Another woman who I can't understand why she would be so enamored with one of my git brothers."
Fleur laughed her beautiful tinkling laugh. "Ginny, you know 'ow wonderful William es…"
"Of course I do Fleur, just taking the mickey. Look, Hermione is right. You now how blokes are. He probably had a great time with the sex last night and then woke up this morning feeling sad about everything that's happened, but didn't connect his morning feelings to what you guys did the night before like us girls would."
"Yes, zat would make sense… 'e did seem to be 'aving a nice time, and for a man who had not been intimate in a while he did 'ave a lot of stamina…"
"Oi! Look, Fleur. I love you and I love my brother and everything and I'm happy to help, but I do not need to know about his skills in bed. That goes for you too Hermione." Ginny shot Hermione a knowing look.
"Ginny!" Hermione's face blushed a bright red and she was so embarrassed she didn't know where to look.
"Oh, Ronald, no? The two of you are very much in love I can see, but I did not realize you 'ad become intimate with 'im," Fleur said, eyeing Hermione in a caring way.
"What? No, Fleur. Ginny was just kidding. I mean, yes. Ron and I are together now. But we haven't done anything like that…"
"Like you don't want to…" Ginny muttered.
"Oh, it is official now at least? Zat es wonderful 'Ermione. Just wonderful," Fleur said.
"Thanks, Fleur. I think so too," Hermione said with a little smile.
"Just so you girls know, I know that you 'ave Maman Weasley to talk to, but if you would like a younger woman's opinion, I would be 'appy to 'elp you with anything sexual… if you need contraception… I of course am a married woman so I 'ave my methods which I would be 'appy to tell you about and 'elp you acquire everyzing," Fleur interjected in a caring tone.
Hermione didn't know what to say, but Ginny found her voice and apparently decided that this was another great opportunity to poke fun at her and Ron. "You hear that Hermione? When it comes time for you and Ronald to make sweet sweet love, Fleur will be happy to help you insure that none of the infamous Weasley swimmers get through."
"Ginny!" Hermione exclaimed for what felt like the hundredth time this morning.
"Let 'er joke 'Ermione. I was talking to you as well, Ginny. I see you and 'Arry together."
"Oh, well…" Ginny seemed to actually be at a loss of words for once, but then she smiled. "Thank you Fleur, that means a lot. Really."
"Of course girls. I know what et es like to 'ave found a great man. You both 'ave, so et will do you well to be prepared."
And with that, their girl talk ended, because the two great men that Hermione and Ginny had found had finally roused themselves and decided to wander downstairs for breakfast.